Forbidden Love
by IheartMalik
Summary: The Mikaelsons and the Salvatores loathe each other-literally.It's a race to the top of the corporate ladder and each one has dirty tricks behind his sleeve. But playing with love; no they shouldn't have done that, because it has consequences- serious ones. Like Elijah falling in love with the Salvatore's sister! AU/AH Elijah/OC, Klaroline, Bamon, Stebekah ! Please R&R !
1. Chapter 1

"One more." Elijah told the bartender after gulping his third drink down. Today had been a hectic day for him, heck, the entire month had been hectic. His father, Mikael, made it his goal to teach Elijah the tactics on how to run a company before handing it over to him. But Elijah was barely 24, he was just getting a hold of his life, he definitely needed some time before such a big responsibility was handed over to him. And that's why he was here tonight, taking a break from his busy schedule and drinking his problems down.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a pretty girl, about 19, tall with black locks falling on her face in curls, tan skin and brown eyes with a gait that would surely pass her off as extremely drunk. She took a seat next to him, ordered a drink and then glanced at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, widening her eyes so that she could have a better view at him.

"No, no... I wasn't." Elijah fumbled.

"Liar." She smiled at him, a sheepish grin plastered on her face.

"Look, Miss. You're really drunk." He pointed out.

"I know." She pouted. "I broke up with my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry about that." He replied.

"Oh, don't be. I caught him cheating on me… with _her._" She scowled.

"Oh."

"So here's to that bastard and his slutty whore. May their life be hell!" She raised her glass as a toast and then gulped it down. Elijah chuckled softly.

"So, why are you here?" She asked.

"Taking a break from work."

"Workaholic, Eh? Not the happiest bunch of people."

"Yeah." He said softly.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them. And then she spoke again:

"My name is Nikita."

"I'm Elijah."

"Nice to meet you." She replied, toying around with her newly-ordered drink.

Elijah tapped his fingers on the table. His senses were slowly becoming numb. He turned around to her, a half-charming, half-flirty smile on his face.

"So, Nikita. Are you busy tonight?"

She smiled at him coyly.

* * *

Nikita groaned softly as she woke up. The sun fell right on her face. Her head ached terribly. Yup, she was definitely hung-over. She opened her eyes, searching for her clock on the table but it wasn't there. She then noticed how unfamiliar this room was to her. Suddenly, she felt soft fingers lightly caressing her stomach. She turned around and nearly gasped. She found herself sharing a bed with a man she barely knew. She buried her face in the pillow and grumbling.

_Shit. Shit. Shit. How could I let myself do something like this?_

She tried to recollect what had exactly happened last night but it was all just a blur. All she could remember was that they met in the bar, spoke a little, drank a lot and made out. Everything went blank after that. She quickly started searching for her clothes. Luckily, they were on her side of the bed. She crept out of the bed and slipped into her clothes. She had to leave because 1) this was a freak-drunk accident and she was totally embarrassed to face the guy and 2) If the guy was of a bad character, this could very well destroy her and her family's reputation and image. She opened her purse and checked her phone. 10 missed calls from her brother's Damon and Stefan each and 10 from her father. She sighed.

_I am so screwed._

With her purse in her hand and all set to go, she took a last glance at the sleeping man. He was truly handsome and charming, with a small innocent smile on his lips. He certainly didn't seem like the type of guy who would rat out about her. But she didn't want to take a chance.

_We can never let our family down. And we can never give the Mikaelsons a chance to put us down. _Her father's voice echoed in her head. _At least I didn't sleep with a Mikaelson. _She thought to herself.

She quietly opened the door and stepped out. As she got in the cab, she decided that she would put this behind her and hopefully it was soon going to become a thing of her past.

* * *

**2 years later,**

Elijah sat in front of his computer, putting in the last details of their latest contract. After that he had to attend one of the several meetings he had scheduled for that evening. After all he was the chairman of Mikaelson Industries; he had to be a busy man.

"Did you see this?" His brother Kol stormed into the room, throwing what seemed like the latest edition of Hello! Magazine on his table.

"Why, what happened?"

"See for yourself."

He picked it up and then froze.

"Multimillionaire Damon Salvatore found cozying up to Supermodel Katherine Pierce." Elijah read out. Below was a picture of Damon and Katherine walking out of a club, _holding hands._

"I'm sure it was all a setup. Damon's doing this to defame us." Kol yelled.

Elijah picked up his phone and dialed Katherine's number. "I need some space Kol."

Kol reluctantly walked out, grumbling and mumbling about getting revenge.

"Katherine Pierce here." A sultry voice spoke.

""Katherine." He tried to be calm.

"Elijah. I'm guessing you saw the pictures."

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Umm…" She trailed off.

"This is all about the money, isn't it?" He asked.

""I never loved you Elijah." She said without any emotion.

"So you're breaking up with me?"

"I'm sorry." She hung up.

Elijah kept his phone on the table and slumped into his chair. He was upset, very upset but he wasn't going to show it. He was sure Damon had his hand in it. There was only one way to get back at Damon. He had to beat him in his own game.

* * *

"And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, for the most awaited award of the evening, entrepreneur of the year goes to…"

The room was extremely silent. Stefan was at the edge of his seat. Klaus tapped his leg on the ground, anxiously. Kol crossed his fingers. Elijah was seemingly calm. Damon merely took another sip of his drink.

"Damon Salvatore!"

Stefan jumped up in joy. A huge smile grew on Damon's face. Everyone in the room started applauding him. Damon slowly pushed his chair back and stood up, his chest filled with pride. Stefan patted on his brother's shoulder, cheerfully. Damon then glanced over to the quiet table of the Mikealsons. Kol was annoyed; Klaus just looked the other way. Elijah, however, did not react at all.

After collecting his prize and a well rehearsed speech, Damon strode over to Elijah.

"Tough luck." He held out his hand.

"So, Katherine was your muse." Elijah shook his hand.

"Well, I did send her to be a distraction." Damon smirked. "Never thought you would fall in love, though."

"You know I'm not going to give up that easily." Elijah said as he and Damon smiled for the paparazzi.

"I can't wait." Damon grinned. "By the way, I'll be throwing a party tonight, to celebrate my victory, of course. And you are very much invited."

"We have better things to do, Damon."

"Ouch. Rude." Damon pretended to be offended. "But Katherine will be there."

"Tell her I said Hello." Elijah replied and walked away.

"Just remember one thing mate." Klaus told to Damon as he was leaving, "We'll get revenge."

"Heard that, twice." Damon smirked.

"Well then, Game on!" Kol remarked.

Things were going to get interesting.

* * *

**A/N: So, how was it? Should I continue? Please let me know through your reviews. They really encourage me.**

**Thanks for reading :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Damon sighed as he rejected yet another applicant for the internship. No one fitted the job profile.

"Next!" He called out as he glanced at the list of names.

The sound of clanking heels brought back his attention. He lifted his head up and saw her, a short brunette, with her hair tied in a bun and a lock of hair falling over her face. As she saw him, she flashed out her pearly whites, tucked the lock of hair behind her ear and batted her eyelashes.

"Bonnie Bennett." She introduced herself and took her seat.

"Damon Salvatore." He held out his hand.

"Of course, who wouldn't know you?" She smiled and shook his hand. When their hands touched, Damon felt this rush of electricity pass through him. He never had felt this way before.

"So, Bonnie, you've got quite an interesting resume. Topper of Harvard Business School for three consecutive years. I've got to say, I'm quite impressed." Damon smirked.

"But you know what would make things even better? An internship at Salvatore Enterprises."

"You seem pretty confident."

"I know it's just a matter of time before I get the job."

"But do you have any reason for specifically working here?"

"Well, working here would definitely be a head start for my career. And, I mean, who would pass an opportunity to work with you?" She batted her eyelashes.

"Flirty." Damon said softly.

"Excuse me?" Bonnie asked.

"As much as I want to give you the job, I seriously don't think flattering and flirting with the client could get you anywhere. So, I'm sorry." He handed her file back to her.

"Pardon?" She asked, dazed.

"Next!" Damon yelled.

Fuming, Bonnie picked up her file and walked out. Standing at the doorway, she said:

"Mark my words; you will hire me, Mr. Salvatore."

Damon simply waved his hand and watched her stomp out. She was going to be a fun game to play.

* * *

Nikita stepped out of her shower and sat in front of the mirror. She was excited. She was finally going to see her boyfriend, Mark, after months. She turned on her curler and started doing her hair.

"Just the way he likes it." She muttered.

At that very moment, her phone lit up with a text from Mark.

_I won't be able to make it for our date today. I'm sorry._

She picked up her phone immediately and called him.

"Hello." He answered.

"Why are you canceling our date?" She demanded.

"Whoa, Nikki, chill. I suddenly got held up in some work. I couldn't refuse it."

"You just came back after a month and now this." She said, angrily.

"I can't help it, I'm a journalist. That's my job. But let me make it up to you."

"How?" She asked.

"Meet me tomorrow after my interview, at 3:00 pm. After that we'll go for lunch."

Her smile returned back to her face, "Fine. Where?"

"Mikaelson Industries." He said plainly.

"What?" She froze. It wasn't like she cared about the stupid rivalry between her brothers and them but she didn't know how she would be able to go there without being caught by paparazzi.

"Who is your interview with?" She asked softly.

"The chairman of the company, Elijah Mikaelson."

"How about I meet you directly at the restaurant?" She asked, hoping he would agree.

"Come on, Nikki. Meet me there." He told her.

"Okay." She resigned. "I love you."

"I love you too." And he hung up.

She kept her phone down and started thinking,

_How on earth am I going to sneak out with Damon and Stefan around?_

* * *

"So, what's with the sudden Girl's Night Out, Nikki?" Caroline asked her best friend as they sat in the club, sipping on their favorite Martinis.

"Mark cancelled our date today. And we haven't hung out in a while, so I thought this would be a good idea." Nikita eyed her friend. "What's wrong?" She saw Caroline nervously tapping her feet on the ground, trying to look as calm as possible.

"That man." Caroline pointed at the blonde man across the room. "He's been staring at me for a long time now." She tried to sound normal.

"And since when did Caroline Forbes start worrying about men staring at her?" Nikita teased her.

"I don't mind when they do." Caroline started with a playful smile on her face, "But that guy is just freaking me out with his intense stares and all." She said uneasily.

"But do you find him cute?" Nikita asked seriously.

"I mean, he is cute but…" Nikita cut her off.

"Enough said." She gulped down her drink and got up.

"Where are you going?" Caroline asked.

"I get my guts from Damon." Nikita told her as she started walking towards the _man._

"Hey!" She said.

"Hello, love." He replied.

"I'm Nikita."

"Niklaus. But you can call me Klaus."

"Can my friend call you Klaus too?" She asked pointing at Caroline. Caroline, in the meanwhile, tried to hide her face and look the other way.

"She can call me Nik." He grinned.

"Okay. My friend thinks you're cute." She told him.

"Does she know that I find her gorgeous as well?" He asked.

"Smooth." She remarked. She took out a piece of paper from her purse and wrote Caroline's name and number on it. "Here you go." She handed it over to him.

"Caroline." Klaus read out. "A beautiful for a beautiful girl." He commented. He then pulled out some paper from his pockets and scribbled his name and number on it.

"Give her this from me, will you?" He asked Nikita.

"Of course." She took the paper, waved to Klaus and walked back to Caroline.

"You're welcome." Nikita handed over the piece of paper to Caroline and sat down.

"What happened?" Caroline asked anxiously.

"His name is Niklaus, Klaus for short. British…"

"British?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah, I know how you swoon over guys with that accent." Nikita smirked.

"Nikita Salvatore, you have officially outdone yourself this time." Caroline said happily, as she dropped the piece of paper into her purse. Nikita, meanwhile, smiled triumphantly.

"Let's go?" She asked Caroline. "It's getting late."

"Yup." Caroline drank the remaining contents of her drink and got up with Nikita.

"So, what are you going to do tomorrow?" Caroline asked her.

"I have my date with Mark."

"I know. I meant how are you going to tell Damon and Stefan?"

"About what? Me going to Mikaelson Industries?" Caroline nodded her head.

"I'm not going to tell them anything. All I have to do is sneak out of the house, meet Mark, come home and pretend as if none of this ever happened." Nikita sighed. She knew it wasn't going to be as easy as it sounds.

"Well, good luck with that." Caroline chuckled. "Imagine if paparazzi caught you entering the office. Then on the next day's paper, making the front page would be: _Will secret affair threaten to destroy Mikaelson-Salvatore rivalry?"_

"Oh, shut up and cut me some slack, Care." Nikita gently nudged her.

"Tomorrow is going to be a hell of a day for you, sweetheart." Caroline grinned.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. So how was this chapter? Review and let me know. Thanks :D**


	3. Chapter 3

Nikita paced back and forth, anxiously looking at the clock. A quarter to three. She had better be leaving now. She took a quick look at the mirror, checking whether she was all good to go. A huge sunglass. Check. A scarf wound around her neck. Check. Hopefully her plan would work because ditching the paparazzi was not an easy job.

She got down the stairs and peeked into their giant living room to see if Damon or Stefan were around. She heard noises coming from the library. She went closer and peeped in. Damon and Stefan were arguing as usual. She sighed in relief.

She was just about to leave when a voice stopped her.

"Are you going somewhere Ms. Salvatore?" It was the voice of their butler, Alfred.

"Yes, I have a date with Mark. Tell Damon and Stefan not to wait for me. I'll be late."

"Very well, Ms. Salvatore." He nodded. She smiled at him softly and walked out. She sat in her car and drove off.

After a while, she parked her car in front of the Mikaelson Industries head office and made her way to the door. She looked around to see if anyone was following her. Luckily, every passerby seemed to be minding their own business. With a small smile on her face, she pushed the door open and walked in.

"May I help you?" asked the receptionist.

"I'm here for Mark Price." Nikita replied.

"He's in the interview at the moment. But he'll be done soon. So, I suggest you could sit in the lobby and wait for him?"

Nikita nodded and sat down on one of the sofas, tapping her feet on the ground. She couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of a Salvatore sitting in the Mikaelson's office. It was then that she realized that she had never met any of the Mikaelsons before. They never attended any of the parties Damon threw nor had she ever gone to any formal business event in which they might be present.

_Well, I have no interest in knowing them either._ She thought to herself.

Suddenly, she heard noises coming from across the lobby. A group of men stepped out of one of the offices. In their midst was Mark and another man with whom he was talking to. She presumed that he was the chairman, Elijah Mikaelson. He looked tacky and business-like, although she wasn't able to see his face clearly. Mark escorted him all the way to the elevator and then walked towards her.

"You're looking beautiful today." He kissed her on her forehead.

"You look handsome too." She replied.

Thanks. Why not we step out and have a bite?" He suggested while loosening his tie.

"Sure." She beamed.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Salvatore library,

"Stefan, believe me. None of them were fit for the job." Damon placed a hand on his head as Stefan browsed through the rejected applications forms.

"You rejected her?" Stefan pulled out an application from the list and held it in his hand.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Her." Stefan shoved the paper in his hands as Damon read the name on top.

"Bonnie Bennett." He smirked.

"Why? She fits the job profile perfectly. I want her on this job." Stefan said.

"She will get the job. Don't worry about that." Damon said playfully.

"What do you have in mind, Damon?"

"You'll see." He grinned.

* * *

"How was your interview?" Nikita asked as she and Mark strolled down the beach.

"Good. Actually, it went well." He smiled.

"I missed you." Nikita said.

"But my job is as such, I'm coming, I'm going." He sighed. "But, now, I want to change things."

She looked at him, puzzled.

"Close your eyes." He beckoned. "And give me your hand." She did as she was told.

After a minute,

"You can open your eyes now."

On her ring finger, rested a beautiful diamond ring.

"Nikita Salvatore." He started. "Will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?"

She squealed in delight. "Yes!" She jumped in his arms and kissed him

* * *

Nikita walked into her house, humming happily. She hadn't even noticed Damon and Stefan sitting on the couch until Damon called her out.

"How was your date?" He asked.

"Good." She said dreamily.

"You're in a good mood." Stefan said. "What is it?"

"Hmm… "She said, playing with her necklace, trying to get Damon and Stefan to notice her ring. "Any guesses?"

"That's a new dress?" Damon asked.

"No."

"You've grown slimmer?" Stefan said.

"No." She said, impatiently.

"Then?" They asked.

"Can't you see this on my finger?" She pointed at her ring.

"Oh, that's beautiful. Where did you buy it?" Stefan asked.

"I didn't buy it. Mark gave it to me."

"And why would he do that?" Damon asked.

"Ugh!" She screamed, frustrated by her brothers' ignorance. "He proposed to me!"

"What!?" Their mouths dropped.

"He asked me to marry him." She said happily.

"He asked what?" Damon said, shocked.

"And what did you say?" Stefan asked.

"I said yes." She squealed.

"NO!" Damon yelled. "Stefan, this is like my worst nightmare coming true."

"What's wrong with you guys? I mean, I know you don't like him but…" Damon cut her off.

"That guy is a spoilt millionaire brat." Damon exclaimed.

"You're making him sound more like you." She retorted.

"Yes, he is like me. And I want you to marry someone _not _like me. You deserve better than him." Damon replied.

"Stefan" She turned to him. "Please talk to Damon."

"Damon, I think you're exaggerating things. We are aware of Mark's scandalous past…" He glanced at Nikita while she shot him a glare of death. "But he's changed."

"Whose side are you on?" Damon asked, angrily.

"Good question. Nikki, are you sure you're not rushing into things?" He asked her.

"I've been with him for two years. I've been expecting this for a while now. Of course, I'm ready."

Damon made a face.

"Okay. Yes he hasn't had the most brilliant of pasts but he's changed since we started dating and I want you to give him a chance."

"What do you say, Damon?" Stefan looked at his brother.

"One dinner, just get to know him and then make your choice." She begged.

"Alright." He gave in.

"Sorry to interrupt you Ms. Salvatore but there is someone on the phone for you." Alfred said.

Nikita walked over to him and took the phone from him.

"Hello?" She said. She listened carefully, her eyes widening in tension. "Yeah, okay, I'll be there soon." She hung up and rushed upstairs to her room.

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"I got called in on an emergency. A patient was admitted with severe brain hemorrhage. I have to go." She answered.

* * *

6 hours later, Nikita walked into her room and fell on her sofa, exhausted. She never expected the surgery to last this long. She glanced at her watch. It was 4 in the morning. She was too tired to drive back home so she decided to stay back at the hospital. At that very moment, her phone started vibrating. It was Caroline. She smiled. She and Caroline were the best of friends. No time was too late for either of them.

"Hey, Care." She answered.

"Hey, Nikki. You sound a little tired." Caroline asked.

"Yeah, just got out of surgery."

"Oh, then I'll call you later." Caroline suggested.

"It's fine. What is it?"

"I just got back from my date with Nik." She replied, excitedly.

"And how was it?"

"Great. He was such a gentleman. And I could just go on and on about him but you know I'll never shut up." She chuckled.

"That's good. So I hooked you up with the right guy."

"Nikki, there's something you need to know about him." Caroline said, her tone changing from cheerful to serious.

"No Care, keep it to yourself. If has Nik trusted you with something personal, keep it to yourself."

"But…" Caroline started but Nikita cut her off.

"No, buts Caroline. I don't want to know."

"Okay. But don't tell me I didn't tell you." Caroline said.

"I won't." She reassured her. "Can I call you later this morning, I'm feeling a little exhausted."

"No problem, Dr. Salvatore." Caroline chuckled.

"Good night Care." Nikita hung up and fell asleep on the sofa.

* * *

Next morning,

Nikita tumbled from the sofa, fell down and woke up with a start. She took in a deep breath and looked at her watch. 7pm. She slowly made her way to the bathroom, freshened up and left the room.

"Dr. Salvatore." A nurse called out from behind her. "Here's your coffee." She handed her a hot cup of the caffeine goodness.

"Thanks. How is the patient doing?" Nikita enquired.

"Fine. He is recovering. His pulse rate is back to normal." She replied.

"That's good news. But let's keep him in for a little longer for observation." Nikita said, taking a sip of her coffee. The nurse nodded and left.

She took a turn in another of those never-endings turns in the hospital and started walking towards her ward. If you didn't know the hospital well enough, one could be stuck in here for hours and she had met many people like that before. So she wasn't surprised when an unknown voice called her out this time.

"Excuse me, Doctor. I've seemed to have lost my way."

"That's all right." She turned around to face the person and froze. She never thought she would see him again.

* * *

**A/N: How was the chapter? Let me know through your lovely reviews. **

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**Love you guys xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

She blinked a couple of times just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The man looked at her too, his eyes lighting up in recognition. For a minute, they stood still, staring at each other. It looked like the man wanted to say something but he couldn't find the right words in his mouth. An awkward silence enveloped the area. With nothing to say, Nikita turned around to leave when a voice stopped her.

"Wait."

She paused and stood on her place, not wanting to face him. She could hear the footsteps slowly come closer towards her. She honestly had no idea what was going to happen now.

_What is he going to do? What is he going to say?_

She took a deep breath and braced herself for what was going to happen next.

"I want to apologize for my behavior from 2 years ago." He said.

_What?_

She turned around, a surprised look on her face.

"I was extremely drunk and wasn't aware of what was happening to me. Only when I woke up the next morning, had I realized what had happened. And I wanted to apologize but you were gone by then. I don't want you to think that I had taken advantage of you that night." He said genuinely.

A small smile crept on her face. "Apology accepted. And by the way, I'm sorry about that too."

"We haven't had a proper introduction. I'm Elijah." He held out his hand.

"Nikita." She shook it.

"If you don't mind, Nikita, could I take you out for coffee, just to make it up to you?" He asked, hopeful.

"I would love to but I'm on my rounds right now." She shook her head.

"10 minutes? At the hospital cafeteria?" He pleaded.

"Alright." She replied as they got into the elevator together.

"So, where do you fit in, in a hospital like this?" He asked her.

"I'm a neuro-surgeon."

"That's interesting."

"Yeah, well, I'm taking a break from the family business." She replied. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting." He replied. "My younger brother, Kol, broke his arm while riding a dirt-bike. He is a bit of a daredevil."

'I hope he gets well soon." She said as they got out of the elevator and started walking towards the cafeteria.

"But it's only a matter of time before he breaks another of his bones in yet another of his daredevil stunts." He chuckled.

After seating themselves and placing their orders, they got into chatting again.

"Who are in your family?" Elijah asked.

"2 older brothers, parents now live in Italy." She replied. "And what about your family?"

"I have 2 younger brothers, 1 younger sister. My parents decided to retire in their old country house." He smiled at her and she returned his smile.

"Here's your coffee." The waitress placed their drinks on the table and left. Elijah took a sip of his coffee and glanced at Nikita. For some reason he had been doing that since they got into the elevator and out. She was truly beautiful. And the way her lips burst into a smile… it had been a while since he had seen someone smile like that. They didn't talk much but every once in a while her eyes would flicker and catch him staring at her. But she didn't bother. She would just take another sip of her coffee. His eyes then moved to her fingers tapping on the table. A small, diamond ring, on her ring finger, sparkled in the sun.

"Are you married?" He asked.

"Engaged." She corrected. "He's wonderful." She said, adjusting the ring on her finger.

"And what does he do?"

"He's a journalist. Busy guy but he knows how to make time for us." She replied. But before Elijah could ask who he was, she pushed her chair behind and got up. Her pager was buzzing.

"I'm so sorry but I have to go. Must be an emergency." She told him.

"No worries." He nodded.

"But thank you for the coffee." She said and then ran up the stairs.

"You're welcome." Elijah sighed softly, threw a hundred dollar bill on the table and left quietly.

* * *

Damon sat idly in his office, playing with the crystal paper stand. He had 10 minutes in his hand before he left for his meeting. And he was expecting someone in these 10 minutes.

"Mr. Salvatore, Ms. Bennett is here to see you." His secretary, Alice, said through the intercom.

"Send her in." He replied as a smug smile slowly grew on his face. The door popped open and she walked into the room, stomping her heels on the ground.

_God, she looks ravishing when she's angry._ A thought crossed his mind.

She stood in front of him, her arms crossed and waiting for him to speak.

"Oh don't pout. You don't want to ruin your pretty face, now would you? Take a seat." He gestured to the chair in front of him. She sat on the chair and asked,

"Why did you call for me?"

"Would things change if I told you that I'm reconsidering my previous decision?" He asked.

"Maybe." She shrugged.

"Oh, come on. Now what is that supposed to mean?" He asked her.

"What are you suggesting Mr. Salvatore?" She leaned on the table.

"Well, I'm certainly not offering you the job." He said, frankly.

"Then I have no business here." She got up and started walking towards the door.

"How do you like the idea of being my new personal assistant?"

She stopped and stood still on her place. Then with a smirk on her face, "What's the catch?"

"There is no catch. You get to spend time with the most successful entrepreneur in America and I get to spend time with you." He flashed his irresistible smile.

"Inviting but I think I need some time to consider your offer." She replied.

"So now you're playing my own game with me? Like tit for tat?" He asked.

She smiled at him coyly. "I'll let you know tomorrow."

"Until then…" Damon sent a small flying kiss.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Grow up." She muttered under her breath and walked out.

* * *

A couple of weeks later at the Mikaelson Manor,

Klaus sat on the sofa with Caroline lying on his lap. They had just finished watching Titanic; one of Caroline's all time favorite love stories. Caroline then excitedly started talking about Nikita and Mark's wedding, how she was going to plan it, how their dresses would be and so on. Klaus loved listening to Caroline, there was something interesting to see Caroline yap out to her heart's content, but sometimes he would pay no attention to what she was saying and randomly start playing with the strands of her hair.

"… and you have to be my date for the wedding." Caroline sat up and looked at Klaus.

"Huh?" He snapped out of his trance.

"Were you listening to me?" Caroline asked, a little annoyed.

"To be honest, no." Klaus replied. "Because I find your voice so angelic that I get lost in it." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Nik." She softly punched his shoulder.

"You know, I was thinking that you should meet my brother." Klaus said.

"Who? Kol?" She asked.

"No, not him. My older brother, Elijah. He is so busy that at times he works well late in the night." He replied.

"But isn't it a big step in a relationship? Meeting one's family?" She asked, nervously.

"Yes. Elijah and I are very close and I think it's only fitting that he meets the special woman in my life." He told her.

"But I'm nervous, Nik. What if I do something stupid and mess things up?" She asked, biting her fingers.

"You won't, love." He said. But her face was still tensed up. "If you want, you could bring someone with you."

"Could I bring Nikki? Please?" She begged.

"Of course. Given that she was the one, who introduced us, she could come." Klaus approved.

"Thank you, Nik, I love you." She squealed.

"I love you too, Care." He leaned forward and placed his lips on hers. Caroline placed her hands around his neck and pulled Klaus closer. Klaus laid her down on the sofa and kissed her passionately. It was all going well till the door swung open.

"Eew! Not on the couch!" Kol exclaimed. The two lovers immediately tore apart. Caroline dug her face into Klaus' shoulder, embarrassed to be caught making out with Klaus by Kol. "Now I have to get it disinfected."

"What are you doing here, Kol?" Klaus asked sternly.

"Last time I checked it was still my house." He walked over to them and plopped on the sofa next to Caroline.

"How do you tolerate him?" Caroline asked, irritated that someone interrupted her time with Klaus.

"Years and Years of patience." Klaus replied a matter-of-factly.

"Don't pretend like I'm not here." Kol started.

"Whatever." Caroline rolled her eyes. "See you tomorrow." She placed a peck on Klaus' lips and left.

* * *

"Caroline, calm down." Nikita said for what might have been the 10th time that morning.

"I don't want to make an utter fool of myself in front of his brother." Caroline replied as they walked through the sandy beach.

"You won't." Nikita assured her.

"I hope so." Caroline nodded.

"What I don't get, though," Nikita started, "Is that why are we at the beach?"

"Nik feels it's the perfect place for his brother to take a break and bond with the family." Caroline mentioned. "There they are." Caroline pointed to the 2 men walking towards them. One was a shirtless Klaus walking amidst a crowd of giggling girls and the other was his equally good-looking brother, wearing a t-shirt and some shorts.

Caroline blushed slightly on seeing Klaus. Nikita playfully nudged Caroline.

"What?" Caroline giggled. Nikita just shrugged her shoulders.

"Hello love." Klaus said as he walked over to Caroline. "You look lovely."

"Nik, handsome as always." Caroline kissed him.

"Caroline I would like to introduce you to my brother, Elijah and Elijah this is Caroline, the love of my life." Klaus said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"So you're the girl Niklaus keeps talking about. You're prettier than I imagined." Elijah said. "You're one lucky man Klaus."

Caroline beamed at Elijah.

"Oh, and this is Caroline's bestie, Nikita. She was the one who introduced us." Klaus said, pointing towards her.

"Elijah." Nikita exclaimed.

"Nikita, fancy seeing you here." He smiled at her.

"You guys know each other?" Caroline asked, curiously.

"Well, it's a long story." Elijah grinned.

"Yeah, it sure is." Nikita chuckled.

They all sat down and started chatting on random topics. Klaus noticed that Elijah approved of his choice. Caroline was glad that she had passed the test. She leaned over to Nikita and whispered,

"I don't think I would have been able to get through this without you around. Thank you for coming."

"Anything for my BFF." She replied.

After a while,

"What do you say we all go for a swim?" Klaus suggested.

"I'm in." Caroline agreed.

"Elijah?" Klaus looked at him.

"I think I'll pass." Elijah said, eyeing Nikita. Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Nikita?"

"It's alright, you guys go ahead." Nikita gave them the green signal.

"Okay." Caroline took Klaus' hand and walked over to the shore as Nikita and Elijah watched.

"You don't do swimming?" Nikita asked him.

"To tell the truth, I don't know how to." He chuckled.

"Are you serious?" Nikita exclaimed. Elijah nodded. "And your reason for staying behind? Not a swimmer as well?" he asked.

"Actually, I was a state level swimmer. No, the reason I stayed behind was because I thought you could use some company."

"Well, maybe you could teach me how to swim one day." Elijah flashed his pearly whites.

"But that day is not today." She replied. "So, are you seeing someone?"

"No, not really." He said softly.

"Why?"

"I guess I'm waiting for the right girl." He said, looking her in the eye. For a while, the two of the remained quiet, just occasionally gazing at Caroline and Klaus and commenting on how they were made for each other, until Nikita's phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered. "Mark!" she exclaimed. She got up and started walking away from Elijah. After a while, she came back, a little disappointed, a little angry.

"What happened?" Elijah asked on seeing her change in mood.

"Mark postponed the wedding." She murmured. "Apparently he has to leave for London for 5 months for some kind of training and he wants to postpone the wedding."

"And how are you taking it?" He asked.

"Not well." She said angrily. "I mean, I've been planning this for about a week and it's kind of disappointing."

"It'll all be fine." He assured her. "But I can tell you this, if I were in his place, I would lose no time in making a girl like you mine."

She smiled at him gratefully.

"How about I take you out for dinner tomorrow night? Just to get your mind of this." He asked her.

"Dinner sounds fine." She replied, grinning at him.

"I'm looking forward to it." Elijah smirked.


	5. Chapter 5

"Going somewhere?" Damon strolled into Nikita's room as she stared at the clothes in her closet.

"I can't find the right dress." She mumbled. She reached out for an elegant, tiny black dress and held it up against her. "What do you think?" She looked at Damon.

"Depends on where you're going." Damon said.

"Dinner." She replied as she took a look at herself in the mirror.

"It looks great for dinner." Damon said, approvingly. She beamed at him and rushed into the bathroom to change.

"Let me guess, date with Mark?" Damon called out. She stepped out and started doing her hair. "No." She replied.

"So who's the lucky guy?" Damon smirked.

She eyed at him intently. "A friend."

"I'm glad you're seeing people other than Mark." Damon said with a smug smile on his face.

"It's not a date, Damon." She remarked.

Damon rolled his eyes. "But I can see that you're attracted to the guy."

"I'm not." She said defensively.

"Have you ever taken this long to get ready for Mark or anyone else for that matter? And judging by your outfit you're dressing for impressing."

"Damon." She softly slapped his arm. She picked up her purse and looked at herself in the mirror, _again. _But something inside of her said that Damon was right, she was somewhat attracted to Elijah, right from his looks to his personality, it was hard for any girl to resist him. She then glanced at her ring, sitting silently on her finger. She shouldn't have thoughts like these. After all she had committed herself to Mark.

"I see you're already making plans for a kinky night." Damon smirked.

"Shut up Damon." She walked out of the room and headed downstairs.

"I hope you fall for him. I'll tolerate anyone except Mark." Damon snickered as he yelled from the stairs. Annoying the crap out of his sister was something he liked to do.

* * *

"Niklaus, which tie should I wear?" Elijah held a grey tie on one hand and a blue on the other.

"I think blue." Klaus replied as he crunched on a packet of chips.

"Well, well, well. Having brotherly bonding without me?" Kol smirked as he entered Elijah's room and plopped on his bed.

"I'm helping Elijah get ready for his date." Klaus explained.

"How many times should I tell you Klaus, it's not a date." Elijah replied as he did his tie.

"Who is the lucky girl?" Kol grinned.

"Niki..."

"It's not a date!" Elijah cut him off.

"Caroline's friend Nikita." Klaus ignored Elijah completely.

"Ooh, sounds interesting." Kol's eyes wandered to Elijah. "You must really like her. No wonder you've been so… finicky for the past hour."

"She's engaged, Kol. There is nothing romantic between us." Elijah clarified.

"Your choice in women really intrigues me." Kol said. Then facing towards Klaus, "Be careful Nik, next to you know and Elijah is going on a date with a granny."

Klaus chuckled slightly.

"It wasn't funny Kol." Elijah said.

"Of course it was." Kol got up and stood in front of his brother. Elijah's expression remained unchanged. "What is so special about her?" He asked.

Elijah said nothing. He just stared buttoning up his coat.

"She's beautiful." Klaus started. Kol raised an eyebrow at him, with his lips forming a smug grin. "Should I tell Caroline that you're crushing on her friend?"

"I rephrase. Elijah finds her beautiful." Klaus said.

Kol rubbed his shoulders with Elijah. "So, tonight is a naughty night?" He smirked.

"I don't have such intentions towards her, Kol."

"Oh really?" Klaus chimed in.

"I'm getting late. I have to leave." Elijah told his brothers and strode out.

* * *

Nikita parked her car in front of one of the trendiest restaurants in town.

"Le Bernardin." She read out the name of the restaurant. This was where Elijah had asked her to meet him for dinner.

Handing her car over to the valet, she strode into the restaurant gracefully where she met a cheerful hostess.

"Good evening, can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here for Mr…." Nikita fumbled. She had no idea of Elijah's surname. After a little contemplation she answered, "Mr. Elijah."

The lady started searching in her guest list, with an unreadable expression. Nikita crossed her fingers behind her back. She just hoped his name popped up.

"Ah, yes." The lady's smile returned back to her face. "Right this way." She led Nikita through a series of tables before the finally reached a much more secluded, quieter room. In the middle of the room, lay a table, handsomely decorated with red roses and a candle in the middle and seated on his place was Elijah, looking smarter than ever. It looked more like a setting for a date than just a friendly dinner. He glanced up and took a look at Nikita, his eyes moving from top to bottom. His jaw dropped in astonishment as he kept staring at her.

"Hi." Nikita said, shaking him out of his trance.

"I'm sorry. Where are my manners?" He mumbled and got up. He pulled out a chair for Nikita and gestured her to sit. "May I add how gorgeous you look today?" He smiled at her.

"Thank you." She replied, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"So, shall we order?"

* * *

"I know this may sound weird but I don't know much about you." Nikita started as she toyed around with her food.

"Then ask me whatever you want. I'll be happy to answer anything." Elijah replied, looking up from his plate.

"Okay, first the basics. Where do you work?" She asked.

"Mikaelson Industries." He replied plainly. The smile on her face turned into a small frown.

"What happened?" He asked, seeing her change in her expression.

"Oh, nothing." She replied. "So, what do you work as?"

"I'm the chairman." He said.

Nikita choked on her food.

_What the heck?_

"Does that mean you are _the _Elijah Mikaelson?"

"Yes." He said, looking concerned. "Is everything alright?"

She quickly took a sip of water and tried to hide her astonishment and disappointment. She looked up and saw Elijah gazing at her.

"Can you excuse-me? I need to use the restroom." She said. Elijah nodded. She hurriedly got up and rushed through the spiraling corridors, leaving Elijah confused as to what he had done to get her so upset.

She banged open the door of the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror, running her fingers through her hair nervously.

_Why is life playing cruel tricks on me?_

She never knew Elijah was a Mikaelson. That meant that Klaus was one too. Her mind flashed back to the incident from 2 years ago. She had slept with a Mikaelson. If Damon and Stefan found out, she would be in so much trouble.

She wondered if Elijah knew she was a Salvatore. Maybe not. Or else this dinner would never have happened. But did Caroline know about Klaus? She pulled out her phone from her purse and dialed Caroline.

"It's Caroline Forbes."

"Caroline, did you know about Klaus?" Nikita exclaimed.

"What about him?" Caroline asked, naively.

"He's a Mikaelson." She screamed.

"Oh, about that…" Caroline trailed off.

"You knew?"

"I tried to tell you." Caroline said.

"When?"

"After our first date, when I called you. Remember?"

"I thought… Oh no!"

"Nikki, I know what's running in your mind right now but if you don't want to meet any of them from now on, I respect that."

"Well, that's hard to do considering I'm having dinner with Elijah now." Nikita said with a sigh.

"You what?" Caroline exclaimed. "You didn't tell me."

"What am I going to do now?" Nikita asked.

"Just get through this dinner and you'll be fine." Caroline assured her.

"Okay, I can get through this. Thanks Care."

"Bye Nikki." Caroline hung up.

"You can do it, Nikki." Nikita took a deep breath.

Nikita slowly returned back to her table, her legs trembling as her eyes started scanning the restaurant for any shrewd and sly photographers.

"Is everything alright?" Elijah asked as she returned to her seat.

"Oh, yes. Nothing to worry about." She put on a fake smile and continued eating her dinner at a little faster pace. She desperately wanted this dinner to get over as soon as possible.

* * *

"How are things going? Are they according to plan?"

"Yes. He's taken interest in me. Just give me some time to execute the rest of our plan." Bonnie said as she paced around her apartment.

"You have all the time you need. But make sure you don't mess up."

"I won't. Don't you trust me?" She asked.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Bonnie walked to the door, looked through the peephole and stepped back.

"What happened?"

"Bonnie, I know you're in there. Open the door. Come on, don't try to ignore me." Damon's voice echoed from behind the door.

"You need to hide, now." Bonnie urged and dragged him into her room.

"Where?"

"Here" She said opening her closet door.

"Seriously?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, just get in." She shoved him into the closet and shut the door. "And don't make a sound."

"I won't."

Bonnie then walked to the door, placed her hand on the handle and took a deep breath.

"Hello." She opened the door with a smile on her face.

"It's about time." Damon walked in. He glanced at his surroundings. It was a small comfy, little house.

"Can I get you something?" Bonnie asked as she gestured him to take a seat.

"You." He smirked.

"Anything else?"

"No that's pretty much it." He nodded his head.

Bonnie sat down on a couch opposite Damon and watched him. "Why are you here?"

"I missed you Bonnie. And you never gave me an answer."

"For what?"

"About being my personal assistant."

"I had been busy." She said. "Couldn't really get back to you on that."

"I just want to let you know that my offer is still open. It's yours if you want it." He told her.

"I guess I'll take it." Bonnie replied.

"Great. See you at work tomorrow." Damon said as he got up and made his way to the door.

"Leaving so soon?" She asked.

"Well, we're going to be spending a lot of time with each other now so let tomorrow be the start of something special." Damon replied with a genuine smile. Bonnie's heart melted a little. With his irresistible smile and exotic dimples, Bonnie could very well see that they could have something special. But she had things to do. But still…

"Oh, and Bonnie…" Damon said as stood at the doorway.

"Yeah."

"Wear something sexy tomorrow." Damon winked at her and shut the door behind him. Bonnie scoffed. Maybe she had to reconsider her previous thought.

* * *

"I hope you had a wonderful time." Elijah said as he walked Nikita over to her car.

"I sure did." She replied. _But that was before I found out who you were. _She thought to herself.

She reached for the door handle but Elijah stopped her. "Let me." He opened the door for her.

"Thanks." She got into her car.

"If you want we could do this some other time." Elijah leaned against the car and looked into her big, beautiful brown eyes.

"Sure." She said, uneasy by the way Elijah was gazing at her.

On impulse Elijah brought his face forward and softly kissed Nikita on her cheek. Her sweet fragrance hit his nose. She was so inviting. Her skin was soft. He was mesmerized for a second. Chills went down Nikita's spine when Elijah kissed her. And having him so close made her heart beat faster. He slowly pulled away but not too far, just far enough to gaze at her eyes. He had no idea what he was feeling right now but he was feeling rather drawn towards her. She was quirky, fun but yet mature and intelligent and he valued such qualities in women. Nikita's eyes bore into his as well. There was something other than his deep brown orbs that she was absorbed in, she could see some sort of emotion flashing in his eyes. Lust? No. Love? Definitely not. She couldn't make out what it was but it was so intense that she was captivated by it. Her eyes then fell on his lips. It was alluring. And right then and right there she wanted to crash her lips onto his. But it wasn't the right thing to do.

"It's getting late. I guess I should be heading home now." She said, cutting off the silent tension in the air.

"Yeah." Elijah moved back and came back to his senses. "Good night."

"Good night." She replied as he shut the door. She started the engine and slowly drove out of the parking lot.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. They are a HUGE encouragement! :D **

**And who do you think was the mystery man Bonnie was talking to? And what is the plan?  
**

** Please read and review! Thanks :D  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Planning to write the story from Nikita's point of view.**

**So without further ado, here it is.**

* * *

One picture was enough to spread a wild-fire rumor across the city.

One dinner was enough to start World War III in my house.

"What the hell is this?"

A magazine was flung in my direction, a picture of Elijah kissing me gracing the cover. I looked up to see a fuming Damon, his eyes big and red, glaring at me.

"Let me ask you one more time, what is this?"

"A picture." A silent mumble left my lips. However, I immediately regretted my choice of words.

"I know that." Damon spat. "The question is why was he kissing you and what on earth were you even doing there?"

"It was just a dinner."

"Just a dinner with Elijah Mikaelson?" His words were like sharp knives piercing my heart.

"I didn't know." I yelled, getting up from my seat. "I didn't know who he was."

"Damon," Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, "Let me handle this."

"Nikki," he started, calmer than Damon was though I knew he was disappointed as well, "just tell us the truth."

I took a deep breath and began, "I didn't know who he was, Caroline introduced us and he asked me for dinner. That's all."

"Is it?" Damon asked, his hands wrapped around his sides. "Are you sure you're not hiding anything from us?"

I bit my lower lip nervously. If just a dinner got Damon so worked up, I couldn't imagine how he would be if he knew that I had slept with Elijah.

_Better keep this one to yourself, Nikki._

"I'm not hiding anything from you."

Damon opened his mouth, as if to say something, and closed it, as if reconsidering the thought. He walked out of the room, not saying a word.

"He'll come around, won't he Stefan?" I asked as I saw my big brother making it for the door.

"Damon's disappointed, Nikki," he replied, his back facing me, "and so am I." And with that he was out of the door.

I slumped back into the sofa and picked up the magazine to get a better look at the headline,

_Will secret affair threaten to destroy Mikaelson-Salvatore rivalry?_

Oh, the irony.

…...

I practically ran out of the house the next day, making it for the hospital at the wee hours of 5 am. Even then I hadn't managed to shake the paparazzi off. Stefan was right,

_Once on to you, they stick around like hungry dogs._

I dashed for my cabin and shut the door, never having felt more relieved in my life.

But just when I thought things got better, they became much worse.

There was bit of a commotion in the corridor and I got a rushed call from the reception saying that some man was on his way to my office, Before I could even react the door banged open and strode in the man responsible for all the mess in my life.

"Elijah."

"Can you explain this?" He threw the very same and now increasingly annoying magazine on my table. I sighed and sat down, my head buried in my hands.

"I'm as confused as you are."

There was a moment of silence and I actually thought he calmed down. Or not.

"Lies." I looked up and saw him glaring at me with his lips pressed in a thin line.

"You don't believe me?" I asked, quite upset about the fact that I was hoping that he would understand.

"You Salvatores, you're all the same. Deceiving, lying, manipulating…"

"Hey, watch your tongue." Just because I was quiet didn't give him the right to go on. "The same could be said of your family; however we just choose not to stoop as low as you."

A sadistic chuckle left his lips. "Do you know what Damon did to me?" he asked. "My relationship with Katherine Pierce was just a paid entertainment act for your brother..," there was a pause. "But when I met you, I thought you were different and amazing, even though you were taken, but now I know how foolish I was to have fallen for yet another of his dirty traps."

I stood there, frozen at his words. Was it true, everything he said? Did Damon really do that to him?

"Good day, Ms. Salvatore." He threw me one angry look before storming out of the office as I tried to make sense of what he said.

…...

"So, you have a thing for Elijah?"

"No, Caroline. I do not." I said for what must have been the 100th time today.

"So you feel bad for him."

"Again, no." She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Ok, maybe. I'm not sure. For all I know he could be lying."

"I don't think so." Caroline replied, handing me over a white dress and ushering me into a green room. "If there is one thing Elijah doesn't do, it's lying."

"And you say that as if you know him so well." I called out, staring at the dress she chose for me. "And how is shopping actually going to get these things off my mind?"

"Well, we get preoccupied trying to get ourselves look good. Like how you're trying for Mark."

That's when my mind clicked. Mark. I wonder what he must have been thinking of all this.

I came out of the room wearing the dress, which I have to say was stunning and twirled around as Caroline smiled at me.

"Feeling better?" She grinned.

My face dropped down into a frown. "Not really."

I quickly changed and got out of the room to find Caroline already standing at the counter. While she was so graciously buying my dress, I stood in front of a mirror, staring at myself. My face was covered by humongous shades and I was wearing a ridiculously pink cardigan.

Oh, what was I reduced to?

"Nikita." Caroline tapped my shoulder from behind. "Let's go."

"How did I get into all of this? I'm supposed to be the normal one." I ranted endlessly. Caroline was a good friend. She was probably the only one who was patient enough to listen to me.

"Listen Nikki," She placed her hands on either side of my shoulders, "Shit happens."

Ah, words of wisdom.

"Oh, Care." I laughed. "But I was hoping we could spend the day sitting down, sipping on cappuccinos and just relaxing." I sighed.

Of course I should have seen it coming, that it was only natural for Caroline to drag me into Starbucks. But we were sitting in the corner of the café, sipping on some delicious cappuccinos, so I had no qualms.

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Not my life, for sure. Pick out an event from yours. I'm sure it would be a lot more interesting."

She paused for a moment before she spoke again, "Last week, Nik…" and trailed off.

"Sorry. Oh how about that time when Kol…" she trailed off again.

"One Mikaelson-free day, is that too much to ask?" I buried my head in my hands and groaned. Caroline looked at me apologetically and I realized I might have been a bit too harsh with my friend. "Sorry Care, I didn't mean to…"

I was cut off by the sound of her phone ringing inside her bag. She pulled it out and her eyes widened before she cut the call and threw it back inside.

"As I was saying…" Her phone rang again, only for her to repeat the same action and dunk the phone in her bag.

I waited patiently and like I was anticipating, it rang a third time.

"Just pick it up Caroline."

She looked at me, almost conflicted as to whether to pick the phone or not. My eyes lit up in recognition.

"It's Klaus, isn't it?" Her silence said it all. "So much for a Mikaelson-free day. Go ahead, pick it up." She looked at me and finally cut her phone and threw it back once again.

"Besties over boyfriends any day. Girl Code." She grinned at me. She took a sip of her cappuccino and suddenly looked at me with a smug smile (which always meant she had got a way out of this). "Do you want to escape all this for a while?"

"Yes." I let out a semi-excited squeal of joy.

"It has been a while since we went on a vacation together. And I think your country house outside Washington would be perfect."

"Caroline Forbes," I said, getting up, "you are a genius."

And for the first time today, things were starting to look better.

* * *

**A/N: Hey there peeps! First of all, I apologize for an extremely delayed update. Final year, exams have taken away a lot of time. I'm not making any promises but I'll try to have faster updates. **

**And a special thank you to tvdspnislife, BamonRedbird97, MonaMars, ChaseSavannah and BritishBeauty x for reviewing :)**

**Thank you for reading.**

**S.**


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